Great care was taken that no one should be visible on the Peak.  Of the whole island, that was the only spot where there was much danger of a man’s being seen from the ocean; for the fringe of wood had been religiously preserved all around the cliffs.  But, with the exception of the single tree already mentioned, the Peak was entirely naked; and, in that clear atmosphere, the form of a man might readily be distinguished even at a much greater elevation.  But the glasses were levelled at the strangers from covers long before prepared for that purpose, and no fear was entertained of the look-outs, who had their instructions, and well understood the importance of caution.

At length, the vessels got so near, as to allow of the glasses being pointed directly down upon the upper deck of the ship, in particular.  The strangers had a little difficulty in weathering the northern extremity of the island, and they came much closer to the cliffs than they otherwise would, in order to do so.  While endeavouring to ascertain the country of the ship, by examining her people, the governor fancied he saw some natives on board her.  At first, he supposed there might be Kannakas, or Mowrees, among the crew; but, a better look assured him that the Indians present were not acting in the character of sailors at all.  They appeared to be chiefs, and chiefs in their war-dresses.  This fact induced a still closer examination, until the governor believed that he could trace the person of Waally among them.  The distance itself was not such as to render it difficult to recognize a form, or a face, when assisted by the glass; but the inverted position of all on board the ship did make a view less certain than might otherwise have been the case.  Still the governor grew, at each instant, more and more assured that Waally was there, as indeed he believed his son to be, also.  By this time, one of the men who knew the chief had come up to the Peak, with a message from Heaton, and he was of the same opinion as the governor, after taking a good look through the best glass.  Bridget, too, had seen the formidable Waally, and she gave it as her opinion that he was certainly on board the ship.  This was considered as a most important discovery.  If Waally were there, it was for no purpose that was friendly to the colonists.  The grudge he owed the last, was enduring and deadly.  Nothing but the strong arm of power could suppress its outbreakings, or had kept him in subjection, for the last five years.  Of late, the intercourse between the two groups had not been great; and it was now several months since any craft had been across to Ooroony’s islands, from the Reef.  There had been sufficient time, consequently, for great events to have been planned and executed, and, yet, that the colonists should know nothing of them.